WWE TLC PPV Results: 12-14-14
Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Caldwell's ongoing report).
1 -- IC champion LUKE HARPER vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER -- Ladder match for the Intercontinental Title
The match quickly moved to the floor, where Harper chucked Ziggler over the guardrail into the timekeeper's area. Harper then ran back into the ring and set up a ladder to climb for the title, but Ziggler ran back into the ring and cut him off. No matter, as Harper smashed Ziggler into the ladder. JBL noted the human body is not meant to go through this punishment, and the announcers quickly talked over him. Harper then sideslammed Ziggler on the floor to continue dominating early on.
Back in the ring, Harper tried to climb the ladder again, but Ziggler cut him off. No matter, as Harper bashed Ziggler face-first into the ladder before dropping the ladder down onto Ziggler. Ziggler rolled to the floor, so Harper tried a suicide dive, but Ziggler held up a ladder and Harper crashed into the ladder before falling down hard on a ladder rung. Harper sold an injured left arm as the camera zoomed in on a cut on Harper's arm.
As Harper sold, Ziggler tried to run back into the ring, set up a ladder, and climb, but Harper used his one good arm to cut off Ziggler and throw him down to the mat. Harper wanted to follow with a powerbomb, but Ziggler cut him off and dropped Harper onto a ladder. Harper followed with a powerbomb onto a ladder propped up in the corner, cutting Ziggler's back and side.
Harper followed up with a slingshot into the bottom rope with Ziggler's head inside a ladder. Ziggler came up bleeding from the forehead, drawing medical attention from a ref and then a new ringside physician. Meanwhile, Harper was climbing a ladder in the ring, so Ziggler shook off the medic and scampered back into the ring to cut off Harper. But, both men fell hard to the mat after exchanging blows.
Reset at 12:00 with Harper going for another powerbomb into a ladder, but Ziggler blocked and gave Harper a facebuster into the ladder. Ziggler, bleeding from the forehead, set up a ladder looking to climb for the title, but Harper pulled him down, only to take a mid-air DDT from the challenger.
Both men came back to their feet and Ziggler smashed Harper off the ring apron onto a ladder propped up across the announce table. Harper lay flat on his back on the ladder, but he saw Ziggler climbing a ladder back in the ring, so Harper got up and shoved Ziggler off the ladder down onto the mat. But, Ziggler recovered and jumped off one ladder onto the main ladder in the middle of the ring, only to have Harper cut him off again. Harper climbed up a second ladder, but Ziggler smashed him to the mat. Ziggler then reached up and grabbed the IC Title belt. The hometown crowd roared and Ziggler posed on top of the ladder before selling exhaustion.
Post-match, the announcers repeated the same mantra from Dolph's previous IC Title wins that winning the IC Title means making the next big Superstar. WWE tried to make winning the de-valued IC Title sound like a huge deal to follow up on Dolph winning the Survivor Series main event three weeks ago.
WINNER: Ziggler at 16:40 to capture the IC Title. Tough to watch these matches with all that's known about long-term health effects and how close Edge was to being paralyzed if he wrestled one more of these matches, even if wrestlers know how to protect each other, hit the sweet spot, etc. That aside, the emotion was strong in Ziggler's city and WWE tried to keep Harper strong by dominating throughout.
2 -- WWE tag champs THE MIZ & DAMIEN SANDOW vs. THE USOS (JIMMY & JEY USO) -- WWE Tag Title match
Miz started things off, so Sandow mimicked his actions on the ring apron. Sandow seemed to be more elaborate with his mimicking to take more of a spotlight and draw more cheers, continuing to build toward the eventual split. The Usos double-suplexed Miz (while Sandow stood upside-down in the corner before throwing himself down). Then, Naomi was shown watching The Usos double-splash the tag champs on the floor.
Back in the ring, Miz cut off Jey Uso and declined to give the audience what they wanted to see - a tag to Sandow. Jey then dropped Miz in the corner and wanted a corner bomb, so Sandow propped himself up in the opposite corner to sell the effects of Uso eventually butt-splashing Miz in the corner. Uso wanted a follow-up on Sandow, but Sandow rolled out of the ring and Miz big-booted Uso in the face.
The action broke down after Jimmy tagged in, then Miz dropped Jey with Skullcrushing Finale. But, Jimmy cut off Miz and slapped on a half-Boston Crab. Miz reached the rope for a break, then walked into a superkick. Uso wanted a top-rope Superfly Splash, but Miz rolled out of the ring. Miz and Sandow grabbed the Tag Title belts to leave, but Uso flew over the top rope and Miz shoved Sandow in the way. Miz then smashed Uso with the belts for a DQ.
WINNERS: Usos via DQ at 7:17; Miz & Sandow retained the Tag Titles.
3 -- BIG SHOW vs. ERICK ROWAN -- Stairs match
Rowan got in early offense, but Show took control on the floor. Show whipped Rowan into ring steps, then stood over Rowan before rolling him back in the ring. Show continued to dominate, opening up Rowan's onesie to work over his chest with chops and slaps. Show tried to drop ring steps onto Rowan's face, but Rowan moved and the announce table took the blow, freaking out Cole. "Big Show sucks" chant from the crowd, angering Show even more. Show jabbed ring steps into Rowan's gut, then rolled him back into the ring.
In the ring, Show rammed Rowan face-first into ring steps wedged in the corner, then clotheslined him. Show trash-talked the crowd, giving Rowan time to recover and smash Show with a set of steel stairs. Rowan then climbed to the second rope with steps in hand and tried to end Show, but Show moved just in time and Rowan hurt himself when the stairs rebounded into his face.
On the floor, both men crashed into a collection of stairs, drawing an obligatory "demolition derby" reference from JBL. Show then rolled Rowan back into the ring, where he chokeslammed him right onto the stairs. Rowan sold intense pain, then Show KO Punched him to the back of the head. Show checked Rowan for life, then rolled him over. Before covering Rowan, Show placed ring steps on top of Rowan, which he used to pin Rowan for the win. Cole immediately tried to cover for Rowan getting squashed by saying Show had respect for Rowan that he needed to use the steps to pin Rowan.
WINNER: Show at 11:14. Apparently they have big plans for Show going forward, otherwise it's questionable to have a rising big-man babyface take such a dominant loss in a match centered on physicality and strength.
